Changing FOV in Morrowind (and few other Qs)

May 6th, 2013, 17:54

It seems one can't change the Field of Vision via the console in MW, like you can in Skyrim. At least the same console command doesn't work (e.g. fov 90). I tried set fov 90 and set fov to 90 too, but those didn't do it either. Is there a console command for changing FOV or do I have to do it through the INI file? Either way, what's the correct command for it?

I know how to change the time scale via the console, but haven't done so before and am wondering if it could mess up quests if set to non-default values. Any info on this? I'm not going to change it radically, mind you, maybe slow the time scale to half of what it is by default (i.e. drop it to 15 from 30) to make days and nights last twice as long. (Note: I'm not currently using any eat/sleep mods, like Necessities of Morrowind, which would obviously be affected by changes to time scale.)

Also, due to a change of computers, I've had to reinstall MW and all the old mods I had. I have, to the best of my knowledge, an identical mod setup, but my old (from 1-2 years ago) saves don't work on this install. I have no idea why, it's basically an identical install and setup. The same saves did work on my previous computer after a reinstall of MW, so the saves have worked on different installs and as such ought to be kosher (AFAIK). When I try to open my old save, where my character is in Gnisis, the program complains something about Gnisis file of this-and-that not found (or somesuch). COuld it be that because this is a fresh install and I have not yet set foot in Gnisis in this install (only loading a save from old install where I had), that something went belly up? Do you have any ideas how to get the old save working (I'm about 30 hrs in and wouldn't want to yet again start over)? Any help is much appreciated. Help Aranthir the Dark Elven Spellblade continue his exploits and adventures in Morrowind. Or will he be lost in the limbo of lost bytes…

Originally Posted by Menigal
You should be able to find some FOV setting somwhere in the Morrowind Graphics Extender, which is included in the Morrowind Overhaul.

Ah, but there's the rub, good sir. As strange as it may sound, I am not using the MGE nor Morrowind Overhaul. Instead I'm enjoying Morrowind in its original, er, "glory". That is, I'm not running any graphical mods (except Better Bodies, to lessen the quirky, angled clunkiness of the bodies). The only mods I have are basically convenience and bug-stomping ones, like Magicka Regeneration (only at a relatively slow rate), Tribunal Delay (no premature DB attacks), Fashionable Merchants (merchants don't auto-equip what you sell them), Realistic Animal Behavior (non-blighted rats, cliff racers, etc. don't normally attack you), etc., with the unofficial patches and code patches of course. I find the original graphics have a certain charm to them, they have character. It's an acquired taste, I guess. Sure, the Overhaul looks mighty pretty and I'm tempted to go with it, but so far I've resisted the temptation of the younger, prettier Morrowind and stayed true to the older, a bit cranky, and somewhat ugly Morrowind - you know, for old times sake.

Originally Posted by Menigal
As for your old save not working, it sounds like you're missing a mod. You'd have to look into the error it's giving you to find out what. It might just be a corrupt file somewhere.

Well, after tinkering with it yesterday, I managed to get the old save working. I got a long string of warnings as it loaded. They were mostly like "SC_gnisis_1", "SC_maar-gan_1_2" or "SC_aldruhn_2_3" not found, which leads me to believe it could have something to do with those areas not being visited yet in game, even if they are visited in the save. Something to do with the loading of the areas (cells?) or something or other. Anyways, I'm a bit worried that even if the save seems to be working OK now, that there might be some unforseen problems just waiting to happen. Oh well, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I think you can run the MGE without actually changing the graphics, so it might be worth checking into that.

If you've got a save that's got scripts running in it, and it looks like those might be, then it will have a mini freak out if the underlying mod's gone when you load it. Morrowind's save structure handles the removal of mods a lot better then Skyrim's, so once you get past any initial errors it should be fine. Try loading it, OK through all of the errors if possible, do a quick save and reload. If it doesn't give you any errors, then you should be safe.

Yes, I think you can just enable the FOV changes in MGE and nothing else, if that is what you want. At least distant lands etc. can easily be turned off. Haven't really tinkered with it myself, but that's my understanding. I don't think that MW natively allows this option.